UNH graduate Elle Purrier St. Pierre is headed to the Olympics in Tokyo after a record-setting win in the women's 1500 meter at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials in Oregon on Monday.

The graduate of the Class of 2018 led for her entire race and finished at 3:58:03 and broke the meet record while setting a new personal best to win the national title.

Purrier St. Pierre, 26, was elbowed off the track at the start of her race but didn't let it stop her as she quickly took the lead. Cory McGee was right behind, but Purrier St. Pierre pulled away in the final lap.

"We're just real excited. I just want to get out and make it fast. I turned around and saw my New Balance teammates there. I'm so f**king excited," a smiling Purrier St. Pierre said on NBC after her victory.

She said the push at the start of the race only served to motivate her.

"I was like 'I don't want to mess around with all this stuff," Purrier St. Pierre said.

A Vermont native who grew up on a dairy farm, Purrier St. Pierre is also an entrant in the 800m at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The first round is Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT.

Purrier St. Pierre is the eleventh Wildcat to compete in either the summer or winter games and the fourth in track and field.

The Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 23 and run through August 8.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH

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